Heart of Frost
by silentphill
Summary: It's been three years since the Guardians defeated Pitch. Jack is a guardian, but still yearns for family, belief and love. A certain event might offer Jack exactly what he wants, the price being his immortality. However, something arises from the darkness, something worse than the Nightmare King. The guardians are in need of assistance. And who knows darkness better than Pitch?
1. Scandinavian nights

Hi guys! This is my first RoTG fanfiction, and it's been so much fun writing it so far. I hope you enjoy it! There is much more exciting stuff coming up, so I'm sorry for a kind of un-eventful chapter. Please tell me what you think, review and feel free to drop suggestions. Rating is set M, because of later chapters. Will be **BlackIce. **

**Enjoy!**

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The wind whistled through the pale pine trees, the long branches dancing to its rythm. Swirls of steel blue clouds colored the sky, highlighting the light blue and yellow background. The sun had almost set, casting long shadows of blue across the thick layer of snow.

The howling grew louder, as the wind seemed to have increased, carrying a boy along with it. His excited laugh echoed through the village. He wasn't worried about being seen, because people rarely saw him-even if he wanted them to. The wind blew through an open window, causing some papers to flutter about, and a surprised yelp sounded from inside the house.

"Oops," the boy grimaced and ran his right hand through his white hair, while holding a wooden shepherd's staff in the other. He admitted he wasn't the most graceful in the bunch, while he did have a talent for stirring up trouble. Everywhere he went, it seemed.

The boy grinned and breathed in the cold afternoon air, feeling how it tickled his throat. It was such a pleasant feeling, filling his lungs with the brisk taste of winter. Winter. Now, _that_ was something he was good at.

The white haired boy leapt from the ground, floating above the houses, until finally landing on one of them. His clear blue eyes, glistened like ice, as he looked down on the children playing in the snow. A chuckle escaped his lips, and soon grew into a laugh when one of the children hit another's face with a snowball. The boy who'd gotten hit and the one who'd thrown, stared at each other for a moment, before they both burst out laughing.

He let his gaze float over the red houses, fascinated by how many shared the very same color. It was a beautiful contrast to the sparkling white snow. The snow _he_ had created.

He quite liked Scandinavia, and Sweden always offered long cold winters this far up north. People here was used to winter, and hardly complained if he lowered the degrees a bit, or even if he decided to surprise them with snow in April. Most of them seemed to enjoy winter almost as much as himself.

The boy realized it had become dark, and to his dismay, the children started making their way back home. He jumped off the roof and landed, soundlessly, on the ground below. He watched as the children passed him, not noticing his presence. He placed his hand over his chest, clutching the blue hoodie, as he tried to suppress the sting of pain in his heart.

Scandinavia was great, but few here knew about him-about Jack Frost, the spirit of winter. And fewer actually believed in him. Jack sighed, feeling helpless. He should be used to this by now, after 300 years of the same thing, but it still hurt him. Especially now, after he'd become a guardian. He could imagine this must be what it would feel like, if someone handed him his favorite ice-cream and snapped it away again moments later, before he even had the chance to taste it. Although, this was worse. _A lot_ worse. There had already been three years since that day-when they defeated Pitch. Children had started to believe in Jack again, and his powers grew with their belief.

However, children were just that; children. They would eventually grow up and forget. Jack knew that. A part of him clinged to the belief that children who'd actually _seen_ him, played with him, wouldn't forget, but that was never bulletproof. Even the strongest believers, could stop believing when they grew up and became adults, forgetting _fun_ while they buried themselves in work. It was a terrifying thing.

Jamie, however, never forgot. He still called out to Jack when he passed by and they shared stories and had snowball fights. Jamie might have been the sole reason that other children continued to believe in Jack. He felt grateful for the brave little kid. Without Jamie, they wouldn't have had a chance against Pitch.

The winter spirit stared up at the moon, glaring at it with frustration. What more did the moon want from him? The man in the moon didn't speak to Jack, no matter how many times he shouted at him. Manny hadn't spoken to him since the day he'd first created him, when he told Jack who he was. If he did speak, he only spoke to North. Jack couldn't help but feel discriminated and hurt. Was he still not good enough? Not that Manny spoke to Tooth or Bunny directly either, but Jack couldn't help but feel left out. If there was news, he was always the last one to know about it.

His gaze floated back to the house he'd been sitting on top of, watching as the snow-covered boy was scolded by his mother. Or at least, that was what Jack assumed they were doing. Swedish wasn't his forte. The boy's mother shook her head with a frustrated sigh, pointing for him to go inside. The boy smiled happily, despite the circumstances and went inside. Jack felt a sting of envy, looking at both of them.

It reminded him of his own family, the one he used to have such a long time ago. He wondered sometimes, what his parents would think if they saw him now. A guardian. A protector of children. He smiled at the thought. They would probably think it suited him, being the guardian of fun. They would laugh and cheer him on, and his father would start nagging at him for being barefoot in the snow, like he used to. Jack remembered his little sister's face, the surprise and fear that had twisted her delicate features. The muted call for him from above the cold surface of the ice. He saw her crying face in front of him, imagined what she must've felt, seeing him disappear into the black water.

He wished he could've comforted her, been there somehow. He missed her. His father. His mother. But instead of comforting them, he had become someone different, already forgotten that he ever had a family, that his sister was crying by herself. He wasn't sure how long he'd been beneath the water, before he'd become Jack Frost. All he knew was, that when he'd woken up, his sister was no longer there, and people couldn't see him anymore.

The blue eyes watered with nostalgia and longing. He missed that, having a family, someone to turn to. People that saw him, believed in him, no matter if he was making trouble or not. He missed the feeling of being loved. A part of him wondered if he ever would feel that again.

The moonlight shone down on him, caressing his pale skin. It wasn't exactly the same as being hugged or acknowledged, but he still found it comforting. The man in the moon probably didn't care all that much about him, but Jack would like to think that he did. At least, right now.

_I just want to be like them_, he thought and watched the family from outside the window. They didn't notice him standing there, where he had been so many times before. Jack always found them amusing. They seemed to have such a good time together. The boy who'd been previously hit by a snowball appeared to be bragging about his efforts out in the snow, something that made both his parents and little sister laugh. Jack looked at them, taking in the warm atmosphere they shared. They looked so happy. He wanted that, more than anything else.

_Why didn't you let me be like them? I wish I could be like that, have a family. Haven't I done enough already? I'm sick of being alone._ The thoughts piled inside his head, filling him with anger and sadness. _Please._

Then, something strange happened. Jack wasn't sure if he imagined it at first, but the moon seemed to shine brighter than before. He turned around, watching how the moon glistened like a jewel in the sky, the rays of light feeling warm and soft on Jack's skin.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Jack asked, frowning. It was the first time, in a very long while, the moon had even tried having a conversation with him. 300 years and Manny was finally reaching out to him, he could feel it.

"Let me guess, more shadows to kill? Guardian duties to attend to?" He couldn't help sounding a bit annoyed, despite the feeling of accomplishment. Sure, he was happy that Manny finally talked to him, but at the same time, it had to be pretty devastating news for that to happen.

Jack waited, but the moon remained the same. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Hey, you can't just stop now. Tell me," he demanded. The moon shifted slightly in color, its glow turning slightly more yellow than before. It wasn't easy to pick up the pieces of Manny's quizzical puzzles, and Jack grew impatient.

"Can't you just show me or something?! You're driving me nuts," he said. A soft cloud appeared before the moon, almost as if Manny was sighing. _Great, now he's not only neglecting me, he's making fun of me too._ Jack pulled the hood over his white spikes of hair and crossed his arms. His grip tightened around his staff, waiting eagerly for Manny to continue their 'conversation'.

The response came with force, in shape of a strong wind, threatening to push Jack into the air. Jack dug down his feet in the snow, barely managing to hold his ground. He put up his hands in front of his face, as a shield. The wind brushed through the snow, carrying it up in the wind. The snowflakes sparkled in the moonlight, swirling around in the air. As the wind ceased somehow, they started to take shape, similar to when Sandy created his golden sand creatures. The snow shaped into a white horse, eyes glowing with light. Jack stared at it, still not sure what Manny wanted to say.

"A horse? Okay, that's very...helpful, thank you. You want me to take classes in horseback riding?" He paused briefly. "Seriously, Manny, I don't understand." The horse whipped with his tail in-what Jack assumed to be-frustration. Jack kicked off a bit of snow from his foot, when the snow changed shape, turning into a real-life sized snow-sculpture of himself. Jack nodded approvingly and approached it, astounded by the amount of detail.

"Okay, you really have a talent for this sort of thing, you know. I'm impressed. So, this has to do with me. And?" He looked up at the sky for answers. "Am I needed for something?"

The snow-sculpture burst, much to Jack's surprise, and the wind carried it once more. This time it rustled through his hair, the wind whispering gentle words in his ear. _Why didn't you think about this before, you silly spaceman_, Jack thought, while trying to distinguish the words.

"Meet with the guardians," it whispered. "They know." Even though the wind didn't have a specific voice, Jack could hear it sounding tired. Probably, because it took him so long to figure out what Manny meant. Jack knew he could be tiresome sometimes, but the same went for Manny. The guy seriously needed to invent in some new technology or a different way to communicate. How did North even understand half the time? Then it hit Jack, that might be the reason Manny talked to North and Sandy, before the rest of them. They seemed to be the only ones to actually understand him.

The snow fell down on its rightful place, the wind ceasing almost completely. Jack breathed out, a bit disappointed. He'd expected something more when Manny took the time to speak to him in person, but in the end it was the same as always. The guardians. They already knew, before him, as always. _They know?_ Jack repeated to himself. _Know what?_ Was there something big going on, that he didn't know about?

He decided to go with the flow and do what Manny asked of him. However, he would make sure to ask something in return from him this time. Jack called out to the wind and let it carry him away, to North's workshop.


	2. The tainted sand

Good day to you! Review and feel free to drop suggestions. Rating is set M, because of later chapters. Will be **BlackIce.**

**Enjoy!**

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Jack entered North's workshop, startled somewhat by the sounds inside. He knew by now, that the yetis weren't the silent type, but this was different. There was worry present in the air, causing the yetis to chatter amongst each other. They glanced at Jack as he walked past, and he nodded back with a smile. Phil grunted in response, the only one to acknowledge him at the moment. The yetis didn't try to throw him out, come up to stare at him or anything. They didn't even look interested in their job. The elves were also in a more downed mood than normal. Something was wrong.

From somwhere on the other end of the hall, he could hear North's voice, as loud and massive as always. Although, if Jack heard right, he sounded more worried than usually. Jack walked in, staff in one hand and held up his other hand as a greeting. North eyed him with surprise, followed by joy. Was it really so surprising he'd shown up to their little meeting? Jack didn't like sitting around at meetings, planning battle-strategies and have long boring discussions, but if it was truly important, he could make an exception.

The larger man approached him with arms stretched out, and before Jack knew it, he was embraced by them. North squeezed him with a rumbling laugh, and Jack was too busy gasping for air to try to escape his grasp. North put him down, as if he had weighed nothing and looked him over. Jack frowned, and wasn't sure what North was looking for.

"You're still skinny. Like girl," North said, chuckling at his own words. Jack massaged his shoulder, where North had squeezed him extra-tight.  
"Uh, thanks," Jack replied, although he wasn't sure if it was a compliment or not. Probably not, but Jack just couldn't feel offended. Not when it came from North. The man was such a jolly being, and he always tried to make Jack feel like on of them. Like he was wanted there.  
"And you're as beefy as ever," Jack said, straightening his hoodie. North laughed again, so loud that Tooth put her hands to her ears in reflex. When the laughter died out and North offered Jack to sit down, Tooth came forward.

"Jack!" she exclaimed, not hesitating to throw herself at him, overly-excited, with her arms around his neck. "How are you? It was so long ago, maybe months! I've been so busy, but look at you," Jack made a disapproving sound in the back of his throat, as Tooth opened his mouth. "Your teeth are still as beautiful as ever!" she said, happily and flew backwards to give him some space. Jack coughed, wiping his mouth with his arm, and glanced at Tooth and then to North. Bunny was standing in the background, feeling too uncomfortable to say anything, no doubt. Jack grinned as their eyes met and Bunny stepped forward.

"What?" he asked, as if their eyecontact had been a whole conversation. "Did ya want something, mate?" Jack held back a laugh, remembering he hadn't seen Bunny since that time, when they fought Pitch. Images of how tiny Bunny had been that time, flashed through his mind. Bunnymund seemed to catch on quickly, and gave Jack a grim look. "Don't ya mention it, _ever_," he said, angrily. "Or I'll stomp you all the way to easter."

Jack trailed his fingers along the staff, eyeing Bunny with a challenging look. "Oh? Is that a threat, cottontail?" he mocked. Bunnymund's reaction was as expected. His eyebrows furrowed, his furry features contorting into pure anger. The bunny had always had a temper problem, although Bunnymund himself would never admit it. North hurried forward to stand in between them. Surely, he didn't think they'd actually fight, but he was making sure. Just in case. Bunnymund glared at him, swearing and stomping in the ground, while North tried to talk some sense into him.

Jack still wouldn't consider him and Bunny enemies, rather frenemies? They were closer to friends, than actual enemies. Perhaps, rival was a better word for it. Jack couldn't decide. He liked Bunny, but it was too much fun teasing him, seeing how easily he could affect him. At least, Bunnymund would see him, being too angry to ignore or forget about him. Bunnymund held grudges, and he had a special grudge against Jack, since that fateful day of 68', The blizzard, that he would never shut up about. It hadn't been Jack's fault. Not entirely.

"Ah, forget it," Bunny said and sat down by the big wooden table. He threw up his paws on it, leaning back in the chair. Jack smiled at him, before floating above the table instead. He preferred the freedom of flying, feeling the wind around him. "So, what's the matter North? Why'd ya call us here? It better be important," Bunnymund said. North's smile faded and his blue eyes turned serious.

"I'm afraid it is," he said. Tooth perked up, feathers twitching nervously.

"Is it Pitch?" Her voice sounded small. She would not easily forget the damage Pitch rampage had caused, as she had suffered through it first hand. As had Bunnymund. North looked thoughful, stroking his beard with his hand.

"No. I think it's something else. Man in Moon spoke to me. Said to prepare you for danger. Something is coming."  
"That sounds nice," Jack commented. Bunnymund gave him an annoyed look. "What is coming?"

"I don't know. Yet. But we should work on plan," North suggested. Jack sighed, wondering if this was really it. Did Manny call him here, for _this_? For something they didn't know what it was, not knowing how to prepare or defend themselves against? Not actually knowing for sure that it was a danger to them. The children still believed, nothing had changed about that. If nightmares started roaming the earth they would've noticed, right?

"That's not really helpful, North. Can't you ask Manny to be more_ specific_?" Jack said.

"I couldn't, because I don't know how. He speaks to me, Jack, I rarely have chance to speak back."

"Sounds like him," Jack muttered. A realization hit him, and Jack looked up at North. "Where is Sandy?" He hadn't even noticed the little golden boy wasn't around, until now. Jack felt a sting of worry, as North shook his head. He prepared himself for the worst, before North answered.

"Sandy is...gone. We don't know. We haven't heard anything, the children are sleeping peacefully, but he never showed up."

"Maybe he got tired of you," Jack said, and changed his mind immediately. Tooth looked back at him, eyes flashing with concern. Jack floated down on the ground.

"Sorry, I'm sure he's okay. He just needed a nap or something. Sandman needs his sleep, right?" North nodded in agreement, and Tooth relaxed in her seat. Bunnymund didn't say anything for a long time.

An explosion from outside, interrupted them. The yetis grunted and growled inside the factory, and Jack could hear the jingling bells of elves running in the opposite direction. North grasped his swords, lending one to Tooth, while Bunnymund picked up his boomerangs. Jack held his staff in his hand, looking over to the others. They exchanged glances and hurried outside.

The white snow below their feet was tainted, in a pool of black and gold. When Jack took a closer look, it appeared to be sand. Dream sand._ Sandy! _As Jack looked more thoroughly, he realized, that wasn't all.  
"What in the-" Bunnymund's voice died out, as he laid eyes on the black mare standing a few meters away from him. Jack grasped his staff, discharging some lightning through the edges and the nightmare backed away, neighing in displeasure.

"What did you do to Sandy, ya fiend?!" Bunny roared and threw his boomerangs in the nightmare's direction. The nightmare evaded it, gazing at them with her glowing yellow eyes, before turning around, fleeing. Bunnymund caught the boomerangs, staring at the nightmare. Jack noticed the small traces of black sand it left behind in the snow. He kneeled down, inspecting the residues of black and golden sand. Some kind of fight seemed to have occured.

The lack of Sandy at the scene of the crime, was worrying. The explosion must've been the clash between the two sands, although Jack was certain Sandy's used to be stronger. _It should still be_, Jack thought. _Sandy is believed in. He is stronger than the nightmares. So why? _Jack couldn't find a good answer to his own question. Why did it appear Sandy had lost? Why was Sandy late to North's workshop in the first place? It all seemed so strange.

"What just happened?" Tooth asked, sword at the ready. North shrugged and looked down at her, not knowing either.  
"That's a lot of sand, North," Tooth said and grasped it in her hand, concern evident in her big eyes. "Enough to weaken, but not kill," North reassured her. "He is okay."

"We should follow it," Jack suggested, pointing towards the nightmare, that was almost descended into the darkness, now melting together with the shadows. "It might take us to Sandy."

"What? You expect us to walk straight into the lair like that? That would be suicide, mate. Walking into enemy territory so recklessly, it's a _wonder_ you're alive, kid."

"It could be an ambush," Tooth said. North shook his head, apparently being on Jack's side for once. "It might, but Sandy must be there. The Nightmare King is weakened. He can't fight us. We'll take fight to him! Show him what we're made off!"

"Yeah, I guess, North... that wasn't what I...anyways, I said nothing about barging in or making ourselves known. We follow it, trail it to its home and then," he paused, suddenly uncomfortable by all the attention the other guardians gave him. _Even_ Bunnymund listened, without complaints. He even looked like he thought it might work.

"The rest, well, let's just cross that bridge when we get there," Jack finished, looking away from them. He'd never experienced this kind of attention and approval from them before. They actually _listened._

"Sounds like good plan," North said and the other two guardians nodded. "Then, that's settled," Jack said.

* * *

It had been a long time since Jack had seen Pitch's lair. He was surprised the skeleton of a bed was still present above the hole leading down into the Nightmare King's fine establishment. The nightmare had led them straight there, which in a way, seemed too simple and suspicious. They sat still, above the hole, for a moment, listening for any sounds from within. There was nothing. Only the sound of waterdrops splashing onto stone and the wind whistling through the trees.

"What now? How do we go about, crossing this bridge?" North asked. Tooth looked anxious, hovering back and forward in the air. Shoulders tense and eyes looking back and forth. Bunnymund looked down in the hole and then back to the others, taken aback by the anticipation on their faces.

"Don't ya look at me. Just because I travel under ground doesn't mean-"  
"-I'll do it," Jack cut off. Bunny's mouth fell open in disbelief.

"You?" By the sound of his voice, Bunny had expected everything but Jack's enthusiasm. Jack didn't really want go back down there. The darkness was overwhelming, and he felt out of his element, but he figured it was the only reasonable way. Without getting themselves killed by Pitch for intruding. Jack was strong enough to fight Pitch if it came down to that. Probably. Or he might fail and die horribly, which he didn't want to think about. Well, it was better if he was alone in that case.

Jack shrugged and spun his staff in his hand, turning towards North. "You said it yourself, North, he isn't strong enough to fight us. And I've been down there before. It's better this way."

To Jack's surprise, Bunnymund placed a furry paw on his shoulder. "Maybe there is more than snow inside that head of yours, after all, mate."

"Yeah, there is also ice and frost," Jack replied. A grin curved on his lips, although he was sure he'd just been offended, again. Perhaps Bunny was suspicious, considering how the last meeting with Pitch ended up for them, but if that was the case, he had suppressed it. He grinned back at Jack.

"You do care, huh?" Jack said, slightly surprised.

"Just save sandman, will ya? Go already," he demanded, grin faded. "shoo, shoo," Bunny said and emphatized it with his paws, telling him to go. Tooth and North looked expectantly at Jack, and Jack could catch a glimpse of-pride? satisfaction? He wasn't sure, and frankly it didn't matter right now.

"We'll wait here, Jack," North stated and Jack nodded.

"I'm coming, Sandy," Jack said and jumped down into the darkness.

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So, what did you guys think? The pressure is building up! In the next chapter, Jack will have a not-so-teary-eyed reunion with The Nightmare King. Probably. You will see!

Reviews, comments, questions, suggestions are always welcome! :) Thanks so much for reading!


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